Originating in 1975 as the Paducah Summer Festival Photo Competition, Art Through the Lens has grown from a fledgling contest into an international juried exhibition. Over the past 49 years this exhibition has become one of the Mid-South’s most prestigious annual photographic events at the Yeiser ARt Center.
This year, juror Philip McCabe chose Whistler by CB Adams as well as 61 other works from more than 500 submissions from35 U.S. states along with two other countries with an additional 36 that were juried into the Regional Salon.
Art Through the Lens runs from September 10 – November 9, 2024. Closing reception: Saturday, November 9, 2024, 4 – 6pm. Gallery hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm. 200 Broadway, Paducah, Kentucky 42001, 270.442.2453.
McCabe’s Juror’s State from the exhibition catalogue: “I am delighted to serve as the Juror for the Yeiser Art Center, Art Through the Lens exhibition in 2024. To all the artists who submitted to the exhibition; thank you for the opportunity to view so many distinctive works. To the artists selected for show, congratulations. As an artist, who works with photography and as a curator, who organizes exhibitions focused on imaging. I was very interested to discover what others are doing with this versatile medium. After careful consideration, I ultimately chose works that represented the traditional hallmarks of the photographic process. Whether that be a commitment to technical execution or works that represent the long history of image experimentation and manipulation in photography. I also focused on qualities that I believe revealed the thought process of the image creator. While this curatorial mindset framed my decisions, it should be noted, a different juror could have easily chosen other works for an entirely different and equally gratifying exhibition.
The works in the exhibition span the breadth of the photographic process and all that it may encompass. You will experience traditional photos right alongside experimental and even mystifying images, which I am uncertain of their origin and techniques of production. Please join me in the enrichment of Art Through the Lens 2024.
